Cover assembly and related methods of use

Abstract

A cover assembly may include a tray assembly frame, a first cover supported by the tray assembly frame, the first cover extending in a first plane and defining one or more first openings; a second cover supported by the tray assembly frame, the second cover extending in a second plane and defining one or more second openings, wherein the first and second planes are different planes, and wherein the second cover is disposed above the first cover. The cover assembly may include one or more tray holders, each tray holder being configured to hold at least one tray in an upright orientation, wherein each tray holder is moveable between an open position and a closed position, the tray holders being accessible for loading or removing the trays in the open position, and the tray holders being positioned beneath the first and second covers in the closed position.

We claim: 
     
       1. A cover assembly, comprising:
 a tray assembly frame; 
 a first cover supported by the tray assembly frame, the first cover extending in a first plane and defining one or more first holes, each of the one or more first holes having an enclosed boundary defined by material of the first cover; 
 a second cover supported by the tray assembly frame, the second cover extending in a second plane and defining one or more second holes, each of the one or more second holes having an enclosed boundary defined by material of the second cover, wherein the first and second planes are different planes, and wherein the second cover is disposed above the first cover; 
 one or more tray holders, each of the one or more tray holders being configured to hold at least one tray in an upright orientation, each of the one or more tray holders being moveable between an open position and a closed position, each of the one or more tray holders being accessible for loading or removing the at least one tray in the open position, and the one or more tray holders being positioned beneath the first and second covers in the closed position; 
 one or more drawers, each of the one or more tray holders being coupled to one of the one or more drawers, and each drawer being coupled to a drawer face for moving the one or more tray holders between the open and closed positions; and 
 a first actuator and a second actuator coupled to the tray assembly frame and to the first and second covers, the first actuator and the second actuator being configured to laterally move the first and second covers in the first and second planes, respectively, between a closed configuration and one or more open configurations, such that the first and second covers are substantially parallel to each other in the closed configuration and the one or more open configurations, wherein the one or more tray holders are inaccessible from any position directly above the first and second covers in the closed configuration, and wherein at least one of the one or more first holes and at least one of the one or more second holes are aligned and configured to permit access by a fluid transfer device, through both the at least one of the one or more first holes and the at least one of the one or more second holes, to a portion of at least one of the one or more tray holders in the one or more open configurations. 
 
     
     
       2. The cover assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a cover frame coupled to at least a portion of a top surface of the tray assembly frame and dimensioned to permit access to the one or more tray holders, the cover frame including at least two opposed, upwardly extending guide rails, the at least two opposed upwardly extending guide rails being configured to limit longitudinal movement of the first and second covers, wherein each guide rail includes an inwardly extending tab configured to limit vertical movement of the first and second covers. 
     
     
       3. The cover assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising one or more guide pins extending upwardly from or through the cover frame, the first cover defining one or more laterally extending, first guide slots that accommodate the one or more guide pins, the second cover defining one or more laterally extending second guide slots that accommodate the one or more guide pins, wherein each of the one or more first guide slots and the one or more second guide slots is associated with one of the one or more guide pins, wherein the one or more first guide slots and the one or more second guide slots are coextensive with each other, and wherein the one or more guide pins and the one or more first guide slots and the one or more second guide slots are dimensioned to limit lateral movement of the first and second covers. 
     
     
       4. The cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second covers contact each other and are configured for sliding engagement. 
     
     
       5. The cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first cover defines a plurality of first holes. 
     
     
       6. The cover assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the second cover defines a plurality of second holes. 
     
     
       7. The cover assembly of  claim 6 , wherein, in each of the one or more open configurations, each of the one or more first holes is aligned with a corresponding one of the one or more second holes, and wherein each of the aligned first and second holes permits access by the fluid transfer device to a portion of at least one of the one or more tray holders in the one or more open configurations. 
     
     
       8. The cover assembly of  claim 6 , wherein for each of the one or more first holes there is a corresponding one of the one or more second holes. 
     
     
       9. The cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second covers have substantially the same dimensions, and wherein the locations and dimensions of the one or more first holes defined by the first cover and the one or more second holes defined by the second cover are substantially the same. 
     
     
       10. The cover assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first cover and the second cover are arranged in a reversed orientation about a lateral axis along which the first cover or the second cover moves. 
     
     
       11. The cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first plane is defined by a first longitudinal axis and a first lateral axis that is perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis, the first cover being configured to move in the first plane along the first lateral axis and not along the first longitudinal axis, and wherein the second plane is defined by a second longitudinal axis and a second lateral axis that is perpendicular to the second longitudinal axis, the second cover being configured to move in the second plane along the second lateral axis and not along the second longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       12. The cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are configured to move the first and second covers independent of each other. 
     
     
       13. The cover assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first actuator includes a first motor coupled to the first cover and the second actuator includes a second motor coupled to the second cover. 
     
     
       14. The cover assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first cover comprises a first edge that defines a first end tab and a first lateral edge opposite the first edge, and wherein the second cover comprises a second edge that defines a second end tab and a second lateral edge opposite the second edge. 
     
     
       15. The cover assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first end tab defines a first slot, the first actuator includes a first pin, the first slot receives the first pin, and rotation of the first pin causes linear movement of the first cover, and wherein the second end tab defines a second slot, the second actuator includes a second pin, the second slot receives the second pin, and rotation of the second pin causes linear movement of the second cover. 
     
     
       16. The cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more first holes and the one or more second holes are linear holes. 
     
     
       17. The cover assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the width of each linear hole is from about 5 mm to about 15 mm. 
     
     
       18. The cover assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the width of each linear hole is at least about 10 mm. 
     
     
       19. The cover assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the length of each linear hole is from about 5 to about 15 times the width of the linear hole. 
     
     
       20. The cover assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the length of each linear hole is about 10 times the width of the linear hole. 
     
     
       21. The cover assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more actuators are configured to slide the first cover in the first plane and slide the second cover in the second plane. 
     
     
       22. A method of aspirating or dispensing a fluid with a system having a first cover coupled to a first actuator, a second cover coupled to s second actuator, and a fluid transfer device, wherein the first cover and the second cover are disposed above a plurality of receptacles; the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) laterally transitioning the first cover and/or the second cover from a first closed configuration; where access to a first group of the plurality of receptacles by the fluid transfer device is blocked by the first cover and/or the second cover, to a first open configuration, where a first receptacle of the first group of receptacles is accessible by the fluid transfer device through both a first hole of the first cover and a second hole of the second cover, such that the first and second covers are substantially parallel to each other in the first open configuration, the first hole having an enclosed boundary defined by material of the first cover and the second hole having an enclosed boundary defined by material of the second cover; 
 (b) aspirating the fluid from the first receptacle of the first group of receptacles using the fluid transfer device or dispensing the fluid into the first receptacle using the fluid transfer device; and 
 (c) after step (b), laterally transitioning the first cover and/or the second cover from the first open configuration to the first closed configuration in a first plane and a second plane, respectively, or to a second closed configuration, where access to a second group of the plurality of receptacles by the fluid transfer device positioned above the first cover and the second cover is blocked by the first cover and/or the second cover, such that the first and second covers are substantially parallel to each other in at least the first closed configuration. 
 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first cover and the second cover move independent of each other during the transitioning steps. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 22 , further comprising a step of lowering the fluid transfer device through the first hole of the first cover and the second hole of the second cover prior to step (b). 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first cover is disposed in the first plane, and the first hole is aligned with the second hole in the first open configuration, thereby permitting the fluid transfer device to access the first receptacle of the first group of receptacles. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 22 , further comprising, prior to step (a) or after step (c), a step of moving the fluid transfer device along a path that extends over at least one receptacle of the plurality of receptacles, the path being covered by the first cover and/or the second cover. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 26 , further comprising, after step (c), a step of transitioning the first and second covers to a second open configuration where a second receptacle of the second group of receptacles is accessible by the fluid transfer device and access to the first receptacle of the first group of receptacles by the fluid transfer device is blocked by the first cover and/or the second cover. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27 , further comprising, after the step of transitioning the first and second covers to the second open configuration, a step of aspirating the fluid from the second receptacle of the second group of receptacles using the fluid transfer device or dispensing the fluid into the second receptacle of the second group of receptacles using the fluid transfer device. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first cover or the second cover is stationary when transitioning the first and second covers from the first closed configuration to the first open configuration. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first and second covers move simultaneously when transitioning the first and second covers from the first closed configuration to the first open configuration. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first and second covers move sequentially when transitioning the first and second covers from the first closed configuration to the first open configuration. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 22 , further comprising, prior to step (a), a step of providing one or more trays to the system below the first and second covers, each of the one or more trays supporting or comprising at least a portion of the plurality of receptacles. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 32 , wherein each of the one or more trays comprises a plurality of wells, each of the plurality of wells being configured to hold one of the plurality of receptacles or a cap for closing an associated one of the plurality of receptacles, and each of the plurality of receptacles being a vial. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising, with the fluid transfer device, a step of engaging a cap supported by a first well of the plurality wells in a frictional fit and a step of sealing a vial in a second well of the plurality of wells with the cap, thereby forming a cap/vial assembly, wherein the first and second weds are adjacent wells. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 34 , further comprising, while the cap of the cap/vial assembly is engaged by the fluid transfer device, a step of moving the cap/vial assembly from a first location of the system, where the engaging and sealing steps are performed, to a second location of the system. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 35 , wherein the second location of the system is a centrifuge or a thermal cycler. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 22 , wherein step (b) comprises dispensing the fluid into the first receptacle, and wherein the fluid is a reaction fluid for performing a RCA reaction. 
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 22 , further comprising, prior to step (b), a step of inserting a fixed or disposable tip of the quid transfer device into the first receptacle. 
     
     
       39. A method of aspirating or dispensing a fluid with a system having a first cover coupled to a first actuator, a second cover coupled to a second actuator, and a fluid transfer device, wherein the first cover and the second cover are disposed above a plurality of receptacles, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) laterally transitioning the first cover and/or the second cover from a first closed configuration, where access to at least a first row of the plurality of receptacles by the fluid transfer device is blocked by the first cover and/or the second cover, to a first open configuration, where the first row of receptacles is accessible by the fluid transfer device, through both a first hole of the first cover and a second hole of the second cover, such that the first and second covers are substantially parallel to each other in the first open configuration, the first hole having an enclosed boundary defined by material of the first cover and the second hole having an enclosed boundary defined by material of the second cover; 
 (b) aspirating the fluid from the first receptacle using the fluid transfer device or dispensing the fluid into the first receptacle using the fluid transfer device; and 
 (c) after step (b), laterally transitioning the first cover and the second cover from the first open configuration to the first closed configuration in a first plane and a second plane, respectively, or to a second closed configuration, where access to at least a second row of the plurality of receptacles by the fluid transfer device positioned above the first cover and the second cover is blocked by the first cover and/or the second cover, such that the first and second covers are substantially parallel to each other in at least the first closed configuration.